Does a Wire in an AC Circuit Have a Surface Charge Distribution?

[themagiciant95]

I have a simple AC circuit. For example a battery with a capacitor.
In the steady-state the capacitor has the same V of the battery.
The wire that connect the two components is a very small cylindrical conductor, so it should have a surface charge distribution. It's that correct ? If no, why ?

 

[lekh2003]

I am quite sure that there will be a surface charge distribution generating an electric field in the appropriate direction.

Honestly, I think you can easily simplify the problem by just understanding that this circular conductor is basically a really thick piece of wire. The properties should be similar to a normal wire, just that it is now so thick that it takes the shape of a cylinder.

Hope that helped.

 

[Dale]

it should have a surface charge distribution. It's that correct ?

Yes it is correct

 

[anorlunda]

The wire that connect the two components is a very small cylindrical conductor, so it should have a surface charge distribution.

I hate to disagree with @Dale because he is so much smarter than I am, but in this case I do disagree.

We are assuming ideal components with zero leakage current.

Consider suddenly disconnecting that wire segment from the battery and the capacitor. Only one of the following can be true.

1. The wire is left with a net charge.
2. Following disconnection, there are brief internal currents in the wire as the charge distribution rearranges itself.
3. No change, no net charge, no currents in the wire.

I believe that #3 is the correct one.

Remember we speak of the wire, not the plates of the capacitor. Capacitor plates do have net charge and surface distributions.

The OP's question could have left the capacitor out. If we take a length of wire and connect it to one terminal of a battery, is there anything that happens with net charge or charge distribution in the wire? With ideal components, I say no because changes in charge distribution require currents. With non-ideal components, the wire can have parasitic capacitance to ground and thus need current flow to change its voltage with respect to ground.

If you want to consider the portion of the wire closest to the capacitor, then actual sizes, orientation and lengths become important and you must solve the problem using Maxwell's Equations. But the OP posed the question without reference to size, & length.

 

[Dale]

I hate to disagree with @Dale because he is so much smarter than I am, but in this case I do disagree.

No problem! I don’t mind disagreement, and I do appreciate compliments

I was thinking of things like these two references:

http://depa.fquim.unam.mx/amyd/arch...ia_a_otros_elementos_de_un_circuito_20867.pdf

https://www.tu-braunschweig.de/Medien-DB/ifdn-physik/ajp000782.pdf